Acoustic weight system and a stringed musical instrument including the same

Abstract

An acoustic weight system for a stringed musical instrument is disclosed herein. The acoustic weight system includes one or more acoustic braces, tone bars, or ribs configured to be attached to one or more walls of a musical instrument body; and one or more weights coupled to the one or more acoustic braces, tone bars, or ribs by attachment means. The acoustic weight system is configured to change a resonant frequency of the one or more walls of the musical instrument body in order to modify a sound and/or tone of the stringed musical instrument. A stringed musical instrument, which includes acoustic weight system, is also disclosed herein.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An acoustic weight system for a stringed musical instrument, said acoustic weight system comprising:
 one or more acoustic braces, tone bars, or ribs configured to be attached to one or more walls of a musical instrument body, each of said one or more acoustic braces, tone bars, or ribs having a first base surface, a second surface disposed opposite to said first base surface, and a thickness defined by a distance between said first base surface and said second surface; and 
 one or more weights coupled to said one or more acoustic braces, tone bars, or ribs by attachment means, said one or more weights configured to be spaced apart from said one or more walls of a musical instrument body by said thickness of said one or more acoustic braces, tone bars, or ribs; 
 wherein said acoustic weight system is configured to change a resonant frequency of said one or more walls of said musical instrument body in order to modify a sound and/or tone of said stringed musical instrument. 
 
     
     
       2. The acoustic weight system according to  claim 1 , wherein said second surface of at least one of said one or more acoustic braces, tone bars, or ribs comprises a curved outer surface with one or more generally flat portions that provide mounting surfaces for respective ones of said one or more weights. 
     
     
       3. The acoustic weight system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said one or more acoustic braces, tone bars, or ribs comprises a plurality of said weights coupled to said second surface of said at least one of said one or more acoustic braces, tone bars, or ribs. 
     
     
       4. The acoustic weight system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said one or more weights comprises one of: (i) a disk-shaped weight, (ii) an elongated weight in the form of a rectangular bar, and (iii) an elongated weight in the form of a cylindrical rod. 
     
     
       5. The acoustic weight system according to  claim 1 , wherein said attachment means comprises one of: (i) a threaded fastener device, (ii) an adhesive, and (iii) one or more magnets. 
     
     
       6. A stringed musical instrument comprising, in combination:
 a musical instrument body with a soundboard, one or more sidewalls, and a back wall, said soundboard being coupled to said one or more sidewalls; 
 a neck having a first end portion and a second end portion, said second end portion of said neck being coupled to said musical instrument body; 
 a plurality of strings extending from said first end portion of said neck to said soundboard of said musical instrument body; and 
 an acoustic weight system including one or more acoustic braces, tone bars, or ribs attached to at least one of said one or more sidewalls and said back wall of said musical instrument body, said acoustic weight system further including one or more weights coupled to said one or more acoustic braces, tone bars, or ribs by attachment means, at least one of said one or more acoustic braces, tone bars, or ribs of said acoustic weight system comprising a curved outer surface with one or more weight support portions, each of said one or more weight support portions including a generally flat portion that provides a mounting surface for a respective one of said one or more weights, said acoustic weight system being configured to change a resonant frequency of said at least one of said one or more sidewalls and said back wall of said musical instrument body in order to modify a sound and/or tone of said stringed musical instrument. 
 
     
     
       7. The stringed musical instrument according to  claim 6 , wherein said one or more sidewalls of said musical instrument body comprise a curved sidewall extending about a periphery of said soundboard; and wherein said acoustic weight system comprises a plurality of said acoustic braces, tone bars, or ribs spaced apart along an interior surface of said curved sidewall of said musical instrument body, each of said plurality of said acoustic braces, tone bars, or ribs longitudinally extending in a height direction of said curved sidewall. 
     
     
       8. The stringed musical instrument according to  claim 6 , wherein said acoustic weight system comprises a plurality of said acoustic braces, tone bars, or ribs spaced apart along an interior surface of said back wall of said musical instrument body. 
     
     
       9. The stringed musical instrument according to  claim 6 , wherein at least one of said one or more weight support portions further includes a pair of spaced-apart generally planar sidewalls, each of said pair of spaced-apart generally planar sidewalls having diagonally extending sidewalls disposed on respective opposite sides thereof. 
     
     
       10. The stringed musical instrument according to  claim 6 , wherein at least one of said one or more acoustic braces, tone bars, or ribs of said acoustic weight system comprises a plurality of said weights coupled to a surface of said at least one of said one or more acoustic braces, tone bars, or ribs, each of said plurality of said weights being spaced apart from one another along a length of said at least one of said one or more acoustic braces, tone bars, or ribs. 
     
     
       11. The stringed musical instrument according to  claim 10 , wherein said at least one of said one or more acoustic braces, tone bars, or ribs of said acoustic weight system comprises a curved outer surface with a plurality of weight support portions, each of said plurality of weight support portions including a generally flat portion that provides a mounting surface for a respective one of said plurality of said weights. 
     
     
       12. The stringed musical instrument according to  claim 6 , wherein at least one of said one or more weights of said acoustic weight system comprises one of: (i) a disk-shaped weight, (ii) an elongated weight in the form of a rectangular bar, and (iii) an elongated weight in the form of a cylindrical rod. 
     
     
       13. The stringed musical instrument according to  claim 6 , wherein said attachment means of said acoustic weight system comprises one of: (i) a threaded fastener device, (ii) an adhesive, and (iii) one or more magnets. 
     
     
       14. The stringed musical instrument according to  claim 13 , wherein said attachment means of said acoustic weight system comprises a threaded fastener device in the form of a threaded screw or bolt with a plurality of external threads, said attachment means further comprising a threaded insert disposed in an aperture in said one or more acoustic braces, tone bars, or ribs, said threaded insert including a plurality of internal threads configured to threadingly engage with said plurality of external threads on said threaded screw or bolt. 
     
     
       15. The stringed musical instrument according to  claim 13 , wherein said attachment means of said acoustic weight system comprises a threaded fastener device in the form of a self-threading screw with a plurality of external threads, said plurality of external threads on said self-threading screw configured to engage with an interior surface of an aperture in said one or more acoustic braces, tone bars, or ribs. 
     
     
       16. The stringed musical instrument according to  claim 13 , wherein said attachment means of said acoustic weight system comprises one or more magnets, each of said one or more magnets received within an aperture or bore in said one or more acoustic braces, tone bars, or ribs. 
     
     
       17. A stringed musical instrument comprising, in combination:
 a musical instrument body with a soundboard, one or more sidewalls, and a back wall, said soundboard being coupled to said one or more sidewalls; 
 a neck having a first end portion and a second end portion, said second end portion of said neck being coupled to said musical instrument body; 
 a plurality of strings extending from said first end portion of said neck to said soundboard of said musical instrument body; and 
 an acoustic weight system including a plurality of acoustic braces, tone bars, or ribs attached to at least one of said one or more sidewalls and said back wall of said musical instrument body, each of said plurality of acoustic braces, tone bars, or ribs spaced apart along an interior surface of said at least one of said one or more sidewalls and said back wall, said acoustic weight system further including a plurality of weights coupled to said plurality of acoustic braces, tone bars, or ribs by attachment means, each of said plurality of acoustic braces, tone bars, or ribs comprising at least one of said plurality of weights coupled to a weight support portion of said acoustic brace, tonebar, or rib, said weight support portion of each said acoustic brace, tonebar, or rib comprising a generally flat portion that provides a mounting surface for said at least one of said plurality of weights, said acoustic weight system being configured to change a resonant frequency of said at least one of said one or more sidewalls and said back wall of said musical instrument body in order to modify a sound and/or tone of said stringed musical instrument.